Blood shortage caused by Omicron severely compromises healthcare for Balearic patients
Every day, 200 blood donations are needed to guarantee adequate patient care.
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At present, barely 50% of the donations needed to ensure this health service are obtained.
The Balearic Islands Blood Bank makes an urgent appeal to the healthy population of our autonomous community to donate.
To donate blood, please make an appointment through the website www.donasang.org.
The Blood and Tissue Bank of the Balearic Islands informs that the incidence of Omicron in the donor population is reducing its capacity to obtain blood donations, which puts at risk the supply of blood components for transfusion to the hospitals of the Balearic Islands.
In addition to the usual drop in donations at this time of year, there has been an exponential increase in the number of cases of COVID infections in the Islands with the arrival of the Omicron variant, which is directly affecting blood donors who are therefore unable to donate. In addition, the Blood Bank estimates that the number of new donors has been reduced by 5,000 since the beginning of the pandemic.
As patients continue to require transfusions, there is a marked imbalance between the demand for blood in hospitals and the number of donations made each day. At least 200 blood donations per day are needed to ensure adequate patient care. Currently, only 50% of the required donations are being obtained.
The Blood and Tissue Bank reminds the public of the requirements to be followed by people who have been vaccinated against COVID, have had the disease or are in contact with coronavirus patients and wish to donate blood:
Those who have been vaccinated against COVID may donate blood 24 hours later, provided they are well at the time of donation.
People infected with the coronavirus or with any compatible symptoms (malaise, fever, cough, difficulty breathing, loss of taste or smell, etc.) may donate 28 days after full recovery.
If they have been in close contact with a person with coronavirus or in preventive isolation, they will be able to donate 14 days later.
Healthcare, auxiliary and support staff treating or caring for people affected by COVID-19 will be able to donate when the risk contact ends.
For this reason, the help of the entire healthy population is requested to maintain the necessary reserves to supply the hospitals in the Balearic Islands, as blood cannot be manufactured and can only be obtained through donations. Any healthy person between 18 and 65 years of age and weighing more than 50 kilos can donate blood. Donating blood is a voluntary and altruistic act, a contribution to society. It takes between 20 and 30 minutes and contributes to improving the lives of many sick people in need of blood.
To donate blood, you need to make an appointment in the “Make an appointment” section on the home page of the website.
You can donate at the Blood Bank in Palma (C/ Rosselló i Cazador, 20) from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 8:30 pm, non-stop, and on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 1:30 pm. In the “Where can I donate” section of the website www.donasang.org you can consult the places and times of upcoming campaigns.